Hours after Postmaster Louis DeJoy testified in front of the Senate and a day before the House will meet in Washington to vote on new legislation for the United States Postal Service, dozens of union leaders and members, concerned neighbors and local representatives came together in Buffalo.
AND TODAY,PROTESTERSDELIVERING APOWERFUL MESSAGE -FUND THE POSTALSERVICE - NOW!THE GROUP,SPEAKING OUT ABOUTRECENT CHANGESIMPOSED BY THEPOSTMASTERGENERAL -- WITHTHEIR ORGANIZER --CONGRESSMAN BRIANHIGGINS - VOWING TOTAKE THEIR DEMANDSSTRAIGHT TOWASHINGTON AHEADOF A CRUCIAL VOTEAND PIVOTALTESTIMONY.HERE'S 7EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER NIKKIDIMENTRIKEITH WE'RE LESSTHAN 75 DAYS OUTFROM THE NOVEMBERELECTION.IF YOU VOTEABSENTEE HERE INTHE BUFFALO AREAMOST LIKELY YOURBALLOT WILL COMETHROUGH THIS POSTOFFICE BEHIND ME.AND THAT WAS THETOPIC OFCONVERSATION THISAFTERNOON WHEREU-S-P-S UNIONMEMBERS HELD ARALLY AGAINSTOPERATIONALCHANGES BY HIGHERUPS.THE MESSAGE FRIDAYAFTERNOON ONWILLIAM STREET ISLOUD AND CLEAR"THIS IS A MALICIOUS,DELIBERATE ANDCALCULATED EFFORTTO DESTROY ANINSTITUTION."DOZENS OF UNIONLEADERS,CONCERNEDNEIGHBORS ANDLOCALREPRESENTATIVESCAME TOGETHER INBUFFALO FRIDAYAFTERNOON THEY SAYTO FIGHT FOR THEFUTURE OF THEUNITED STATESPOSTAL SERVICE."THIS IS MYNEIGHBORHOOD.YOU'RE CONCERNEDABOUT YOURNEIGHBORHOOD.THESE POOR PEOPLE."THE RALLYSANDWICHEDBETWEENPOSTMASTERGENERAL LOUISDEJOY'S TESTIMONY INFRONT OF THESENATE FRIDAYMORNING"WILL YOU BEBRINGING BACK ANYMAIL SORTINGMACHINES THAT HAVEBEEN REMOVED SINCEYOU BECAME POSTMASTER GENERAL?P: THERE'S NOINTENTION TO DOTHAT.
THEY'RE NOTNEEDED SIR."AND HOURS BEFORE AMUCH-ANTICIPATEDHOUSE VOTE ONFUNDING FOR THE U-S-P-S ON SATURDAY"WE'RE IN A BATTLE.WE'RE IN A BATTLEFOR THE PUBLIC'SMAIL."CONCERNS STEMMEDNOT JUST OVERUPCOMING ELECTIONBUT ALSO OVERMEDICINE DELIVERY."IN TRUTH AND INFAIRNESS, THIS POSTMASTER GENERALSHOULD RESIGN."REVERSING COURSEEARLIER THIS WEEKDEJOY WENT BACK ONNEW COST-CUTTINGDIRECTIVES.AND WHILE IT WASVIEWED AS A QUOTE"STEP IN THE RIGHTDIRECTION" FORWESTERN NEW YORKUNIONLEADERS.MORENEEDS TO BE DONE."LET US DO OUR JOBS.THAT'S ALL WE ASK."BUFFALO'S WILLIAMSTREET POST OFFICELOCATION HAS SEENFIVE SORTINGMACHINES CARTEDOFF UNDER DEJOY'SORIGINALDIRECTIVES..UNIONLEADERS SAY ATLEAST TWO ARE NOWIN A SCRAP YARDDOWN THE STREET."HE'S ALREADY DONEDAMAGE AND HE'SALREADY DONEIRREPARABLEDAMAGE."WE SPOKE WITH BOTHERIE COUNTYELECTIONCOMMISSIONERSTHURSDAYAFTERNOON.DEMOCRATICELECTIONSCOMMISSIONERJEREMY ZELLNERSAYS HE WASN'TCONCERNED UNTILHEARING ABOUT THEREMOVAL OFMACHINERY."I'D LIKE TO REALLYLOOK INTO THAT ANDHOPE THAT THEREWASN'T ANY ISSUESTHERE THAT WASGOING TO SLOW USUP."RALPH MOHRZELLNER'SREPUBLICANCOUNTERPARTADDS THE BOARD OFELECTIONS AND LOCALU-S-P-S MANAGEMENTHAVE A QUOTE "GOODRELATIONSHIP."AND THEREFOREDOESN'T SHARE INZELLNER'SCONCERNS."THE BUFFALO POSTOFFICE HAS GONEOUT OF THEIR WAY TOASSIST US IN THEPRIMARY ELECTIONAND EVERYELECTION.AND I'MNOT CONCERNED ATALL."WHILE DEJOYBELIEVES HIS AGENCYIS READY FOR THEUPCOMING ELECTION,HIGGINS AND THOSEAT FRIDAY'S RALLY SAYTHE FIGHT HAS JUSTBEGAN."THIS IS THE START OFTHIS FIGHT.
THIS ISTHE START OF THISFIGHT NOT THE ENDOF IT."POSTMASTER DEJOYIS SET TO TESTIFYNEXT IN FRONT OF THEHOUSE ON MONDAY.BUT BEFORE THATHOUSE MEMBERSINCLUDINGCONGRESSMANHIGGINS WHO SPOKEAT THE RALLY THISAFTERNOON WILL BEVOTING ON U-S-P-SLEGISLATION -INCLUDING $25 BILLIONIN FUNDINGSATURDAY.AND DEVE
Students have already started classes at many colleges in Western New York, however several of them have their first day of classes..
